Sport Administration

Master of Science (M.S.)

Description

The Sport Administration is a Master of Science Program in the Department of Health, Physical Education & Sport Sciences at Arkansas State University. It is designed as a full-time, 36-credit hour program that serves today’s working professional and/or full-time student. The program serves graduate students interested in professional management or administrative opportunities in professional sports, interscholastic and intercollegiate athletics administration, sports facilities, sports media, and sports marketing and management agencies.

The goal of this program is to balance theory and practice in order to best prepare each graduate for employment in the field of sport administration. Each student will acquire a comprehensive understanding of the management, business, socio-cultural, ethical and legal applications in the administrative capacities within amateur and professional sports environments. Future employment for Sports Administration graduates would consider employment within intercollegiate athletics (including athletic departments, conferences, and national associations), professional sport organizations (teams and leagues), sport facilities, sports tours, motor sports, corporate sports organizations (sports agencies), and the sports media.

The Sport Administration graduate program will allow students and professionals to receive an advanced level degree that will develop their knowledge and skills to successfully prepare them in their chosen careers. As an applied field of administration, it is essential that students be able to incorporate information learned through this program, their own work experience, and cultural backgrounds and apply these to current or future employment. Both theory and practice will be incorporated into the curriculum in which instruction is enhanced by sport administration professionals, site visitations, research, and group projects designed to learn competent and applicable sport administrative practices.

Students will be immersed in a required core of courses and an internship or thesis. Students will also be required to successfully complete comprehensive exams (excludes successfully defending thesis).

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the ASU Graduate School and the specific program requirements. The minimum requirement for admission is the baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution.

Applicants must present evidence of potential ability to perform academic work at the advanced graduate level. Standardized test proficiency and past grade performance will be used to provide the primary data for judging academic ability. Other indicators, such as quality of writing in the Applicant’s prepared statement and faculty references, will also be considered. Based on past academic performance, an applicant must qualify for either unconditional or conditional admission status.

For unconditional admission, students are required to have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA or 3.25 GPA during the last 60 credit hours of university work.

For conditional admission, students are required to have a 2.75 cumulative GPA or 3.0 GPA during the last 60 credit hours of university work.

Applicants are required to submit the following:

Official transcripts as verification of all coursework and degree(s).

A formal Statement of Goals which should explain in at least 500 words why he/she wants to be admitted into the program and what he/she plans to do with the M.S. in Sport Administration degree.

A current resume.

At least two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to the applicants academic potential and professional capabilities. Applicants must have at least one recommendation from a university faculty member who is familiar with the applicant’s work as a student. The professional recommendation should come from a supervisor in which he/she has evaluated the applicant’s current or prior work.

In addition to the written credentials itemized above; in selected situations, faculty may elect to conduct interviews as part of the admission process. Interviews may be conducted via web, phone, or on-campus. Lastly, admission to the degree program may require completion of specific prerequisite undergraduate courses. Applicants will be considered for admission during a given review cycle only if all of the above materials have been received by the Graduate School’s application deadlines. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Other Resources

The sport management degree program at Arkansas State University has received specialized accreditation through the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) located in Arlington, Virginia, USA. The sport management programs in the following degrees are accredited by COSMA: